iMac - Your Opinion on a Purchase?

Well, I have spent alot of time on these forums this evening, and I could probably continue into the night. But I must sleep. Nonetheless I have some pressing questions in my mind that will probably give me insomnia anyway. But I shall venture to ask you guys since you seem to know almost everything about Apple products.

I bought an iPod. And I really loved it. So much that I would like to get an iMac, since I have the opportunity to purchase a new computer within the next couple of weeks. I have been dabbling online to just basically check out the differences between PCs and Macs. And of course I have decided on a Mac. Now here is the issue.

I noticed two different kinds. The iMac intel & the iMac G5. I can't make up my mind really which one is best for me and perhaps you could help me with this decision. I noticed that the Intel version is the newest. But I've also seen some people stating that the G5 is superior. Not only on this site but on some review sites. Honestly I don't quite understand alot of the comparison, I have mostly seen boot times being compared.

So let me tell you a little about what I would like to use my iMac for..

First these are the two models I am able to purchase.

Apple iMac - 1xCore 2 duo 2.16 Ghz
1 GB ram

Apple iMac G5 - 1x PPC G5 2.1 Ghz
512 MB ram

the rest of the stats are identical. (hard drive, monitor etc.) the G5 is 100 dollars more at the store. Okay so back to what I do with my computer.

..I play world of warcraft. I spend too much time on message boards. I like to listen to music and watch movies. I download alot of torrents. I use Photoshop CS2 right now. I also use 'windows movie maker' to make the odd video. I like to do all of these things at the same time. Well, not all, but I will sometimes play my games, need to minimize the game to look up information while I'm playing. And I like to listen to my music at the same time. Currently my PC can't really handle all of this. And it's giving me splitting headaches because the fans are so loud and there is a high pitch wailing coming from the motherboard.

I'm looking for something that will basically be able to switch programs neatly and efficiently, without lockups when I try to shut a program down and open a new one. (I usually have to manually go in and shut of alot of my programs through my task manager)

I don't really want to spend 1600.00 to have this still happen to me.

I will continue to read these forums diligently, as I want to get my new computer asap. I just really want to make sure I'm getting the right one. I don't want to miss out on any good information so I would thank anyone very much if they could kind of condense this iMac noobie's wishes for some guidance.

For starters, let me explain the difference between a G5 and Intel iMac. The G5, also known as the PowerPC G5, is the previous generation processor that was in Apple computers. Apple ditched the PowerPC line in favor of chips made by Intel, known as the CoreDuo, and subsequently an updated version called the Core2Duo. As you can see, paying a hundred dollar premium on previous generation hardware doesn't seem to make much sense, does it?

The Intel Macs are much faster than their G5 predecessors. Plus, all future applications are being written with Intel in mind. So Intel is the way of the future for Apple...at least for the time being (who knows, Apple could jump ship again in 10 years, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it).

Now, on to what would be considered more important to you. Windows Movie Maker is replaced with iMove on the Mac. iMove is a far more worthy program than Windows Movie Maker, so you'll be pleasantly surprised when you start using it.

Normal stuff like browsing the web, listening to music, and watching movies is easily accomplished on the Mac. There are several torrent programs available to you.

When it comes to games, you have two options. First, you could go ahead and buy the Mac version of the game you are interested in, if it's available. Second, you can dual boot with Windows using a program called Boot Camp and then run your Windows games and programs in what is essentially Windows. If you get the iMac with the X1600 video card, then you should be just fine when it comes to games on your Mac.

Oh, and Photoshop is also available for the Mac

I believe that answers all your questions. If you have any more or just need some more clarification, feel free to ask

Hi Dawn Chorus. I'm no expert on macs but I can clarify the Intel/G5 issue. The Intel is indeed the new model. G5's were the previous Apple generation. If you notice on the Apple site, they no longer manufacture G5 hardware (also known as PowerPC). The specs you mention say that the Intel has bigger memory, and a faster dual core processor for a cheaper price. The Intel would be most people's choice.

One factor to consider is that you are running CS2, this runs natively on PPC processors but will run more slowly on Intel machines. However, with the release of CS3 it will run natively on the Intel machines. I can't really see a great reason to purchase an older machine if you can get a newer one for less money, but someone else may want to pitch in an opinion on this.

i'm the kind of person who has a hard time making decisions, and i can really see the benefits of buying the newer model. so it was of great help for you guys to point out the obvious. it doesn't make as much sense to pay an extra 100 dollars for something that is slowly being replaced by different technology.

even the sales man i talked to today recommended the intel too. he said if i had old applications from os 9 that the g5 might make better sense. of course i have no applications because this is my first apple so there ya go!

i'm really excited about getting my iMac! hehe. Kash, I know what you are saying. All my life I've heard "Apples are good for creative people" which to me sounded kind of weird. but now i can understand that they most likely have better programs regarding sound, video and art. and i love doing alot of music mash ups, video editing and creating. So it will be like a whole new experience for me to have a brand new OS to do these things on.